Out of Bread crumbs, one case
Keto bread crumb substitute
4 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Crushed pork rinds
1 cup for every cup of bread crumbs
For keto, replace bread crumbs with the same volume of finely crushed pork rinds, which have no carbohydrate and fry up crisp. Almond flour is the next choice at the same volume, with about 3 g of net carbs per ¼ cup, and it works for both coating and binding. Plain dried bread crumbs have about 20 g of carbohydrate per ¼ cup.
- Verdict —
- Works
- The tweak —
- Crush plain pork rinds in a bag with a rolling pin or pulse them in a food processor. Leave out most of the recipe's salt.
- Best for —
- breading chicken, pork chops and fish
One casethe full bread crumbs card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup bread crumbs | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crushed pork rindsbreading chicken, pork chops and fish | 1 cupWorks | Works |
| 2 | Almond flourpan-fried cutlets and fish | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Grated Parmesanoven-baked chicken and fish | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Coconut flourmeatballs and meatloaf | ¼ cupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| Not a swap | Oats, panko or crushed crackers | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Crushed pork rinds
savory and salty, with a mild pork flavor
Fried pork skin, crushed to crumbs. It is the closest thing to a crunchy bread crumb with no carbohydrate, and it also binds ground meat.
- Best for
- breading chicken, pork chops and fish, meatballs and meatloaf, casserole toppings
- Prep
- Crush plain pork rinds in a bag with a rolling pin or pulse them in a food processor. Leave out most of the recipe's salt.
- Suits
- keto, gluten-free
- Contains
- pork
- Where it fails
- Long, wet cooking: a pork rind coating softens under sauce. It is not suitable for vegetarian or pork-free meals.
0 g carbohydrate. Flavored pork rinds can contain sugar; check the bag.
Almond flour
nutty and rich
Finely ground blanched almonds. It makes a golden, tender crust and holds meatballs together when the recipe keeps its egg.
- Best for
- pan-fried cutlets and fish, meatballs and meatloaf, crab cakes and salmon patties
- Prep
- Cook a coating over medium heat or bake at 400°F or lower. Almond flour burns sooner than bread crumbs.
- Suits
- keto, gluten-free
- Contains
- tree nuts
- Where it fails
- Deep-frying, where it darkens fast and falls off, and anyone with a tree-nut allergy. It absorbs less liquid than crumbs, so a wet meat mix stays soft.
About 6 g carbohydrate and 3 g fiber per ¼ cup.
Grated Parmesan
salty and sharp
Dry, finely grated Parmesan melts and then crisps into a salty crust. It also firms up a meatball mix.
- Best for
- oven-baked chicken and fish, casserole and vegetable toppings, meatballs, mixed half and half with almond flour
- Prep
- Leave out the recipe's salt. For a coating, mix it half and half with almond flour or crushed pork rinds so it does not melt off.
- Suits
- keto, gluten-free
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- On its own in a hot pan it melts, sticks and burns. It does not absorb liquid, so it cannot be the only binder in a loose mix.
About 1 g carbohydrate per ¼ cup.
Coconut flour
faintly sweet and coconut
Very dry and very absorbent, so a small amount takes up the moisture a full measure of bread crumbs would. It is a binder, not a crumb.
- Best for
- meatballs and meatloaf, nut-free low-carb cooking
- Prep
- Start with ¼ cup for each cup of bread crumbs, mix, wait 5 minutes and add more a tablespoon at a time only if the mix is still wet.
- Suits
- keto, gluten-free
- Contains
- coconut
- Where it fails
- As a coating it is powdery and does not crisp. Too much makes meatballs dry and crumbly.
Roughly 3 to 4 g net carbs per 2 tbsp; brands vary, so read the label.
Oats, panko or crushed crackers
like bread crumbs
The usual stand-ins for bread crumbs are all grain, and all about as high in carbohydrate as the crumbs they replace.
- Best for
- cooking that is not low-carb
- Where it fails
- Rolled oats have about 27 g of carbohydrate per ½ cup dry, and panko and crackers are wheat. None of them lowers the carbohydrate in the dish.
Tips for substituting bread crumbs
5 tips- Coating: dip in beaten egg, then press on crushed pork rinds or almond flour. Skip the flour step, or dust with a little almond flour first.
- Bake a pork rind or almond flour coating at 400°F on a rack so the underside stays crisp, and turn it once.
- Meatballs and meatloaf: use the same volume of crushed pork rinds or almond flour as the bread crumbs, keep the egg, and leave out the milk if the mix looks soft.
- Cut the salt. Pork rinds and Parmesan are both salty; season the dish after you taste it.
- Count carbohydrate from the label of the product you buy: figures differ between brands of almond and coconut flour.
Questions
5 questionsHow many carbs are in bread crumbs?
Plain dried bread crumbs have about 20 g of carbohydrate per ¼ cup, and seasoned crumbs are similar. Panko is slightly lower by volume because it is lighter, but it is still wheat bread.
What is the best keto substitute for bread crumbs in meatballs?
Crushed pork rinds or almond flour, at the same volume as the bread crumbs, with the egg kept in. A mix of half almond flour and half grated Parmesan also works and adds flavor. Leave out any milk the recipe adds if the mix is soft.
Can I use almond flour in place of bread crumbs for breading?
Yes, at the same volume. Dip the food in egg, press on the almond flour and pan-fry over medium heat or bake at 400°F or lower. The crust is golden and tender, not crunchy, and it burns faster than bread crumbs.
Do pork rinds taste like pork in a coating?
Only mildly. Once seasoned and cooked, a pork rind coating tastes savory and salty, close to a fried crumb. The flavor is more noticeable in a plain casserole topping than on fried chicken.
Is there a keto bread crumb substitute without nuts or pork?
Grated Parmesan for toppings and oven-baked coatings, and coconut flour as a binder, starting with ¼ cup per cup of bread crumbs. Ground flaxseed or sunflower seed flour are other options; start with half the volume and add more as needed.